Top-level international cricket finally returned to Pakistan after about six months with the recently held three-match One-day International series against Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) duly merits exceptional thanks and applause from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the followers of the game for offering the much-needed support to Pakistan cricket in these times of crisis.

One strongly feels the PCB should have invited the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Cricket Australia (CA) officials to personally witness the magnificent ambience that the players and thousands of boisterous fans generated at Karachi and Lahore during the contests. There were even reports regarding possible visit of some foreign boards’ officials to Pakistan. However, it did not happen, for reasons best known to the PCB.

In the last year or so, the threat of isolation from international cricket has loomed large over Pakistan cricket. The situation worsened after the Australia’s refusal to visit Pakistan in March last year which was followed by the postponement of the eight-nation ICC Champions Trophy due to the security concerns of several countries about playing in the region.

India’s last-minute postponement of their high-profile tour following the Nov 26 Mumbai incident was indeed the last straw and there was hardly any hope left for Pakistan to revive international games at home. It was also a bad omen for South Asian cricket. In such a grim scenario, the magnificent gesture by the Sri Lankans is commendable and has more than salvaged the situation.

Although the stadiums were not filled to capacity during the series, all the ODIs against Mahela Jayawardene’s men went smoothly and should amply dispel the safety concerns of several top cricket-playing countries that have shunned Pakistan on flimsy grounds.

Looking prudently at the events that preceded the Sri Lankan squad’s arrival in Pakistan, one feels that a series of fine efforts made this cricket series possible by the authorities concerned. After the sudden sacking of Arjuna Ranatunga as SLC chairman early last month, Sri Lanka took time in giving their final approval for the much-awaited tour amid sporadic media reports that that the security concerns might again jeopardise the proposed series.

However, the prevailing ambiguity finally vanished when Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa stepped in to endorse the tour. There was jubilation in Pakistan ranks which, albeit, proved short-lived as some doubts were once again raised over the dates of the Sri Lankan assignment after Indian cricket board — in a bid to make up for the cancelled Pakistan tour — also approached the SLC to organise an ODI series at about the same time.

Finally, the Islanders decided to split the Pakistan tour, with the ODIs to be followed by a two-Test rubber in February with the Sri Lanka-India ODI competition sandwiched between the two phases.

While not forgetting the antagonistic Indian stance towards Pakistan after the Mumbai occurrence and given the Indian board’s unanimously accepted financial clout, the SLC’s affirmation to send its team to Pakistan is all the more significant. One cannot overlook the dwindling coffers of the SLC too which could easily have been tempted by the brimming BCCI reserves but Jayawardene’s men chose to honour the Pakistan commitment.

The Pakistan board’s hierarchy can draw three fundamental lessons from the Indian snub and the subsequent Sri Lankan acceptance. Firstly, there should be an organised, result-oriented and immediate strategy by the PCB to break free of the BCCI influence that is solely aimed at establishing and strengthening its own image. Had the Indian board, above everything, given the so-called ‘Asian bloc’ top priority, it would have pressed its government to send the team to Pakistan regardless of the political scenario, a move that could do wonders to defuse the tension between the nuclear-armed countries.

The Indian step has not only put a big question mark on the Champions Trophy (to be staged by Pakistan later this year), but has also endangered the 2011 World Cup, to be co-hosted by Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Pakistan is in dire need of evolving its own plan of action to emerge as a major force in world cricket. PCB’s rigid stance over the ICL-linked players and its blind dependence on the BCCI-endorsed IPL is worth mentioning here also.

Secondly, the PCB is duly anticipated to put its case at principal forums strongly to bring back international cricket to Pakistan on a permanent basis.

After the incident-free series against Sri Lanka, board’s chairman Ijaz Butt is expected to come out with a robust approach at the ICC meeting in Perth on Jan 31. In fact, the reports of Pakistan mulling to play the coming home series against Australia at a neutral venue would be a self-destructive move.

Thirdly, the Pakistan board, purely on the basis of principles, should look to reciprocate SLC accordingly as and when required in the future.

Throwing some light on Pakistan’s display in the series, they surrendered after taking lead in the opener in Karachi and it has become obvious that the Pakistan cricket team have to start from scratch in several areas. With Younis Khan’s appointment as the new skipper, better sense has indeed prevailed but more measures are required.

If maverick pacer Shoaib Akhtar’s fruitless outings exposed the his erratic ways yet again, Malik’s limitations as marshal raised several questions for the experts who had predicted a smooth run ahead for the all-rounder after Pakistan’s 3-0 one-day clean-sweep against a lowly West Indies at Abu Dhabi in November.

As a team, winning a series opener by eight wickets and then losing the next two by a huge 129 and 234 runs (Pakistan’s heaviest ODI loss in runs) specifies that despite tall claims there are several loopholes in the gameplan.

Why players like Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Salman Butt and Malik failed in the last game when it mattered most is a grave question. A comeback into international cricket after a six-month layoff can give a little reprieve, still folding up for a pathetic 75 demands thorough explanation from the team management. From the series perspective only Umar Gul’s individual effort with the leather that fetched him 10 wickets at an appreciable 13.30 in three games can be the sole bright spot for the hosts.

For the Sri Lankans, Muttiah Muralitharan’s 500-wicket mark, Tillekeratne Dilshan’s classy show and Nuwan Kulasekara’s immaculate bowling stole the limelight. The 1996 world champions not only clinched the series with a bang but also won the hearts and minds of millions of cricket lovers in Pakistan.

The PCB, after the Sri Lanka series, is better advised to embrace wisdom, the wisdom about which Norman Cousins said: “Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences.”